If you can put together a theme backed up with a lot of footage, you might have a winner. (or a least a demo to get a producer's interest)

Remember though, you are competing with the 'Tube' crowd, who have no problem jumping off a 4 story condo on their bikes.

You will need high def action cams shot in HD (That also means you need almost a monster Comp to even look at these images when you import these to edit)

There is a true need for SMOOTH footage that puts the viewer inches off the water/ground/air at 8 to 10 knots (Nat Geo, for example). There are also the the ability to get footage on unusual foreign roads that rarely get film on a motorcycle or a very fast car (Speed Channel) this requires high spped footage at leat 30 fps (60 fps would be better but may require Pro gear). If it is steady (more footage than you think is needed) in high Def (mounted on the vehicle/boat), you could possibly sell it.

A great action cam is the Contour System of cameras. Their small size and affordability can allow you to mount multiple cameras inches off the ground/water and make a multi-cam run in one take . These are tough cams with very solid mounts. If you loose one, you lost a $250 cam and mount. No biggy if you get that one in a Mil series of shots that could make or break an action film.

Also look into SteadyCams and Manfrotto Vid heads if you are serious about this (and yes this is very expensive gear) as a means to make a hobby into a living.

Consider also to volunteer your time with a low budget doc film crew to gain knowledge and experience as an Intern.

There is also the stock footage market that demands your footage is (almost)perfect or at least 5 times as much as needed so they can get the best of the best.

Unless you are making your own film and want to sell to these vendors DO NOT edit. Let them decide what and how much they want. Their intent is to buy something that is not already in their archives. So look up their archives and see if your footage is new and fresh.

I don't need to remind you that if it goes on the 'Tube' it will be a lost cause.

(and no I'm not buying any footage or giving out producers' name and numbers)

Good Luck and Steady, steady , SMOOTH footage

Trinomite

_________________Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

Last edited by Trinomite on Thu Aug 11, 2011 12:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

and an Oregon Scientific ATC9K (warning, this camera has a plastic female tripod screw fitting which will be destroyed if you use a metal male bolt to mount it. (However as it is waterproof and has a rear 1.5 inch screen it is perfect for fill-in shots hand held or on the end of a paddle, caution!)

(Hey what do you expect when you screw plastic with a metal knob?)

The contours GPS need their own waterproof cases (cool as that means it makes them almost indestructo, plus I have never seen such a well designed H2O case with shockproof mounts as this for a $42 case) plus the built in GPS maps your course as you travel. The settings of the camera can be micro tweaked with an option to use the iphone as a preview, setup device as a $32 option. (Wah, the android does not need this option (it is free). talk about reverse Apple envy!)

The cheaper ContourHD needs its own case and has none of the fancier features of the Contour GPS. (I intend to use it as a fixed mount mast tip camera and simply use the dual setup lasers to get position and run it until the bat runs dry after 4 hours, depending on settings))

You may also want to consider the Drift set of cameras.alas these are not really designed for water craft. more for the skydivers, motorcycle rippers. Still amazing tech with a built in screen

(Yah, you wonder why no Go-Pro.2 years ago I bought one and it was akin to using MSDOS on a crappy little camera that took really bad pictures. I believe the dog ate it, each times he now farts I see the interior of his intestines on channel 589)

I bought most of these devices (except the Go-Pro and the ATC9K) from:

Very happy with the prices, fast service and great advice from these guys.

(Of course I have Pro photo gear, but there is a time and place for it. The Pacific in an open boat is not anywhere where this gear belongs, or should be used, imnsho, unless there is almost zero risk of loosing your gear or corroding the interior of your sensors or expensive lenses)

Hint: Once you set up your cameras, have done what you need to ensure you are taping on all cams, forget about them unless you have a fill in camera. Just let it all run and see what happens when you get home. The fill in camera can be used in a number of creative ways (like pointing it at your dog and dialing in Channel 589), hehehe.

Good info, I just bought the Canine Flatulator (GoPro) but haven't used it yet. I also have a cheap little Fujifilm XP-20 that I really like. Bought them both from Costco for total outlay of about $325. I'm still trying to figure some neat ways to mount them on my TI and/or make a good pole mount that can be inserted into a pivoting rod holder, etc.

I've searched Youtube and others. but haven't quite found what I'm looking to build. If you have some good ideas on attaching cameras to Islands let us all know. Halibu77 has done some nice work but I haven't been able to contact him or fully decipher his mounts.

Hey ihop Maybe I shouldn't be that hard on the Go-Pro. The first version of this camera I bought had a wrist mount and the menu was written in Klingonese (it seemed) Since then, I've seen amazing footage on YouTube shot in HDby the G0-Pros. Considering their success, they must have fixed the menu (and certainly their imaging quality). They now also offer an optional preview screen (albeit for $100, it's a bit rich considering how much the price of small screens have dropped in the last few years).

You asked about camera mounts. I have pretty well commited myself to the Railblaza system so this was an easy choice:

I've ordered 3 of these, but unless you have Railblaza mounts all over the place already, the versatility of this product might not be fully realized. Keep in mind also that these camera booms use the standard 1/4" - 20 thread so you will need an adaptor for your Go-Pro. The obvious placement for these would most likely be on the ends of the Amas, so unless you have tramps in place, adjustment could be a potential pain if you are busy doing other stuff (like fishing).

As Scotty has been around for years and years, a lot of boats already have these mounts on board. They also sell extenders to allow you more height if needed.

Plus also look up a lot of great home built camera mounts made out of PVC piping and using the Scotty fittings.

If you go with the RAM mounts, remember they have their own mounting system that makes them hard to fit to some of the narrow deck spaces offered by our crafts. They also add a considerable amount of weight if you use their longer connectors as all their gear is Aluminum, stainless bolts and rubber.

BTW: You mentioned that you like the Fujifilm XP-20. These cameras are an alternative (and more cost effective, it seems, if you add up the cost of all mounts, housing, etc, etc that can put a steep price tag if you need to work with multi angled gear.). I know Kodak and Panasonic also puts out simular gear (waterproof camcorders). It would be great to actually compare the image quality of these cameras and see how they compare to the Go-Pros, Contours, Drift, etc. (and do a total of the price points versus the image quality to get the most bang for our imaging bucks)

Hope that helps, m8 Cheers Fred

_________________Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

Last edited by Trinomite on Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Thanks for the thoughts. I ordered the handlebar and rollbar mounts for the GoPro from Critchfield along with a spare battery. I figure with the Fuji as a handheld and pole mounted unit and the GoPro mounted on either the Ama, my rollbar or masthead I should be able to cover a lot.